behind the shy (is a magnificent person)
by halcyon epochs
Summary: "Are you scared?" she asks. "I thought spies weren't afraid of anything, but here you are, chickening out of talking to a pretty girl." In which Tonks is scared of talking to pretty girl she sees in the French Ministry, and Alice supports her through goading and teasing.


**Book Club- _Dayna Jurgens:_** (action) flirting, (character) Fleur Delacour, (AU) Spy (kinda)

 **Showtime- _18\. For Good:_** (genre) Friendship

 **Days of the Month- Pink Day:** Write about someone who likes pink (It's an OC, but that counts, right?)

 **Liza's Loves- The Flirt:** Write about a flirt.

 **Count Your Buttons:** (word) Dare

 **Serpent Day:** Burrowing Cobra- (AU) Spy

 **Insane House Challenge:** 111\. (pairing) Fleur/Tonks

 **Femslash February:** 2\. Tonks/Fleur

 **In which the Order is a spy organization. Not a Muggle!AU, not set during either Wizarding War.**

* * *

Moody has a magical walkie-talkie pressed to his gnarled ear. He keeps bobbing his head and muttering indiscernible phrases into the device.

"Tonks, Longbottom." He directs his good eye at Alice, and the dysfunctional eye to Tonks, who wants to flinch but doesn't.

"There's been some suspicious activity going on in the French Ministry," he growls, "and the French Minister wants us to go and investigate."

Tonks can't restrain herself. " _France?!"_ she exclaims incredulously. "Last time I checked, they weren't so keen on us helping them and vice versa."

"Yeah, well, times change," Moody grumbled. "In any case, they need our assistance and we're going to have to give it to them. Or rather, you two."

Tonks exchanges a glance with Alice. "Of course," the former promises.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Tonks muttered, tugging at her itchy, starched collar.

Alice is equally as uncomfortable—the French wear a distinctly different kind of robe than the British, more tight-fitting and snug. But Moody said in order to blend in, they have to wear these robes.

"It's just for today," whispered Alice, smoothing down the front of her mauve robes. Tonks is wearing navy. Her hair is fawn and her eyes are green, as opposed to their normal gray. She's shorter than usual. Alice, who is ordinarily shorter than Tonks, looms over her.

They're headed for the French Minister's office, disguised as French officials. Many people eye them, but apparently see nothing out of the ordinary.

One girl has the audacity to outright stare. Her dark blue eyes are calculating as they scrutinize Tonks. She is pretty, extremely pretty, and Tonks gulps, suddenly warm, heat flooding her cheeks.

Alice, who has the eyes of an eagle, looks between the girl and Tonks, the latter of whom is flushed. A smile stretches across her face.

"See something you like?" she says quietly.

Tonks jumps; she had been captivated by the girl's piercing gaze. "Shut up," she mumbles.

"She's pretty," Alice marvels. "If I wasn't happily married to Frank, I would probably go talk to her right now." She nudges Tonks pointedly.

Tonks feels irritation creeping up. "We have a mission."

"But a little detour wouldn't hurt," Alice prods. "What Moody doesn't know won't hurt him."

"No." Her tone is final, but Alice being Alice dares to push a little more, this time using a tactic she knows will crack Tonks.

"Are you scared?" she asks. "I thought spies weren't afraid of anything, but here you are, chickening out of talking to a pretty girl."

Tonks is breaking, she thinks deviously. Tonks is like glass; she's strong against most forces, but will shatter when you find the tiniest flaw and use it against her. She will splinter when there's a challenge involved.

"Fine," she snaps, heat crawling back up her neck, "I'll go talk to her."

Alice internally cheers at her victory. "Do you want me to come with you?"

She grits her teeth, but she needs the moral support. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

Together, she and Alice stroll towards the girl, who is speaking with another female employee. The employee says something and the girl laughs, exposing dazzling white teeth. Tonks clenches her own teeth.

As soon as Tonks is within a meter, the employee smiles at the girl and leaves. She turns, only to be faced by Tonks, who has butterflies flitting around boulders in her stomach. Alice is composed next to her.

" _Bonjour,"_ says the girl in a thick French accent.

A tight _hello_ squeezes out of Tonks's mouth. Alice claps a hand to her forehead.

"Oh, so you are English," says the girl in perfect English. "From Britain, I azzume?"

Tonks curses herself for not employing her French lessons. They've already given themselves away. However, there seems to be something trustworthy about the girl. "Yes," she replies.

"Interesting." Her eyes travel up and down Tonks. "Whatever brings you here?"

Tonks looks desperately at Alice, fumbling for a cover story. Alice steps forward. "We're here to see your Minister."

"What for?" The girl is trying to pry answers out of them, Tonks realizes.

"Stuff," Tonks says evasively.

"'Stuff?'" the girl repeats amusedly. Alice chuckles. "Very well, I will escort you there."

Tonks is taken aback. "Er, thank you?"

The girl smiles and Tonks is enthralled. "No problem."

Her silvery-blonde hair swings as she leads them through several winding corridors until they arrive at the door marked "Minister of Magic's Office" in French and English.

The girl knocks and there is a loud, merry "Come in!"

They enter and Tonks is awed and appalled. The office is decorated garishly, pinks and purples everywhere. Nothing at all like the British Minister of Magic's office.

"Have a seat." The woman seated the vast desk gestures to two plush chairs, also bright pink. "Delacour, stand guard outside."

"Delacour" nods and exits.

* * *

The meeting takes just over an hour. When they exit, "Delacour" flashes another beaming smile at them, winks at Tonks and slips a folded scrap of paper into her coat pocket.

The two of them wander around the Ministry, but "Delacour" and her disarming smile is the only thing occupying Tonks's mind. Alice keeps shooting smug looks at her, and her face burns.

She doesn't open the note until she reaches the metro and is seated in between an older gentleman and Alice.

With Alice peering over her shoulder, Tonks reads the note, written in an elegant scrawl.

 _Mademoiselle, tu es incroyablement adorable. Voici mon numéro de téléphone. J'aimerais déjeuner avec vous un jour._

Below the words is a phone number. Tonks blushes.

"See, that wasn't so hard," Alice says proudly.

Tonks elbows her, but grins.

* * *

The note above translates to: _Miss, you are incredibly adorable. Here's my phone number. I would love to have lunch with you sometime._

 _906 words_


End file.
